Youth Ministry: Halloween and Reformation Day

Halloween is just around the corner. October 31. Starbucks have this disgusting pumpkin spice flavoured coffee (Bec – a friend who works at startbucks – gave me a taste before it was launched). Other than that I haven’t seen anything else using Halloween as a part of their sales pitch. Tim Challies has written a great article on Halloween that I actually read (normally I don’t read his posts because they are too long for my postmodern attention span!). In Australia, Halloween is a non-event. Each year we would get maybe one or two visits from some punk kids who already have missing teeth from their sugar habit! So Christians in Australia don’t have to think through the same issues as North American Christians.

Reformation Day is fast approaching. October 31. Same day as Halloween. As of Reformation day last year my aim is to teach teenagers something of Reformation Day and its significance. Understanding our church history (beyond the 10 years of CCEC) is important to understand the present, the future and our Sovereign God.

Watch this space for some more info on what we’ll be doing with/for youth group and how we teach the wonderful truths of Reformed Theology. I think I might even have a Reformation Day party with growth group next Tuesday night!

To do some more reading on the Reformation check here and here.

Do you do anything to mark Reformation Day? What are your plans?

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Links:
Ben and Sally are having a Baby – funny video…
MySpace is Ugly
ccecyouth MySpace

18 Replies to “Youth Ministry: Halloween and Reformation Day”

  1. That coffee breaks two golden rules of coffee:

    1) don’t, I repeat don’t, drink flavoured coffee. (I remember with disgust the days I used to buy hazlenut lattes!! Sickly sweet … blech!). Drink coffee for the sake of coffee.

    2) don’t, I repeat don’t, drink coffee from Starbucks.

    Signing off,

    Your-unashamedely-coffee-snob-brother

  2. Yeah that pumpkin nasty drink sounds absolutely foul…. But I have ro say Andy M, I love hazelnut lattes ;)

    I also love the photo – nice work. And how great to teach teenagers about the reformation, I woudl love to hear what you have to say :)

  3. Oh dear, Nixter. You’ve lost on two grounds. Not only do you like hazlenut lattes, but I see on your blogger profile you list Starbucks as one of your interests!!! (*shudder*)

    Someone needs to show you round our city and find you a decent cafe. ;)

  4. andy m – I am clearly in need of help. Point me in the right direction and I am happy to possibly upgrade one of my interests to a new and improved coffe place!! I have been to a nice place in Newtown but I work in the city so any tips on where to get great coffee, I am all ears..

  5. Andy – I couldn’t agree more.

    And at the risk of turning this post from reformation to coffee (both great things in my opinion) – Nixter you should try out Mecca on King St between York and Clarence. Best espresso I know of in town.

    What exactly do you have in mind for your teaching on the Reformation Dave? I think its a great idea.

    (and nice photo)

  6. Wow, this is the place to be for coffee lovers to converge! Guthers and I have recently exchanged thoughts on coffee …

    Which area of town do you work in Nixter? Unfortunately, there aren’t many areas that don’t have a Starbucks round the corner, but I’m sure we’ll be able to help you out!

  7. wow!!
    i’ve missed this discussion on coffee.

    believe it or not… i’ve been working in a couple of cafes today.

    bayswiss – was a nice late
    but i got too cold sitting in the shade.

    library –

    gloria jeans for 3 hours – had a white chocolate machiato (sp?)

    got lots of work done.

    didn’t go to sb – friend wasn’t working

  8. thanks john for the link to challies thing.

    look fwd to reading your article.

    i will keep u posted re what we do.

    peaceout.

  9. Thanks Guthers, I will be sure to pop by there this week, will let you know how I go. I work near Martin Place andy m :)

    reformation and coffee are great = agreed.

    Thanks for the coffee run down David..

  10. Dave, our home group is getting together on that night to watch a ‘Luther’ video. Apparantly there is an old one made in 1957 that is heaps better in nutting out the theological issues at stake then the more modern one.
    I hate starbucks coffee. Good lounges for reading in though.

  11. hey dan – i might check that one out. i recently heard about it. i do think the recent one is quite good.

    starbucks – i love the lounges there.
    but i also like the caramel machiato… it’s pretty sweet!!

    sorry all you coffee-snobs (in particular andy) who don’t do syrup!

  12. Nixter, I work near Martin Place too. I’m at the eastern end in Phillip St. (I note with horror that there’s a Starbucks at the western end of Martin Place!).

    I’m still unsettled on the best coffee in the area, but I reckon Chrysler is pretty good. They are in the bottom of the Westpac building on Martin Place between Phillip & Macquarie St, opposite the Reserve Bank. They do beautiful soups too. They’ve actually got a few outlets around town now.

    Otherwise there’s Lindt on Martin Place – more known for it’s amazaing hot chocolates (with pure melted Lindt chocolate!), but it’s also nice to get a cappucino because instead of powdered chocolate on top like most regular cappucinos, they put big chunky flakes of Lindt chocolate. You’ve got to drink it quickly before it all melts and just becomes a mocha! Mmmmmm ….

  13. By the way, sorry I’ve sidetracked this onto coffee.

    Of course, we owe a HUGE debt to the reformers for re-discovering the gospel (if I can put it in that way), so agree it is a most excellent thing to recognise and commemorate Reformation Day.

  14. By the way, sorry I’ve sidetracked this onto coffee.

    Not a problem at all. i’m more than happy for people to use my blog as a coffee (or almost anything else) forum! It makes me look and feel popular. It’s all about comments!

    Of course, we owe a HUGE debt to the reformers for re-discovering the gospel (if I can put it in that way), so agree it is a most excellent thing to recognise and commemorate Reformation Day.
    Amen

  15. Thanks Andy m I had missed the list of suggestion – but they are noted now and I will let you know how I go… Thanks for that..

    ps – I LOVE LINDT HOW NICE ARE THERE HOT CHOCS – Yummo!!!

  16. I missed that Lindt reference before.

    Andy took us there one day – it was fantastic!!!

    However of the Lindt chocolate the clear stand out is the white ones!!!

    Yummmmmmm

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